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Saturday, January 3, 2015

"Jolson Sings Again" with Larry Parks and Barbara Hale (1946)

As a kid growing up in New York I used to watch a lot of the
old movies on WOR-TC channel 9. They were what was referred to as an “independent”
station and along with WNEW Channel 5 were the only alternatives to the “big
three” networks. This arrangement was a sort of blessing in disquise for an
inquisitive kid like me. I really enjoyed the older black and white movies
these stations ran, rather than the newer ones on the networks. And occasionally
they even outdid themselves; like the time one of them showed the first talkie “The
Jazz Singer” withal Jolson.

My regard for Jolson came mostly from my Uncle Irving. He
used to do the shimmy and a bit of the Charleston now and again when he heard
me playing a record like “Winchester Cathedral” or “Hello, Hello” by the
Sopwith Camels. Even “Words of Love” by
the Mamas and Papas could set him off. At these times he would regale me with
stories of Al Jolson, “the greatest entertainer in the world!” So, when The Jazz
Singer was scheduled to air, I was all set. I even had my little reel to reel battery
operated tape recorder set up with the microphone up against the TV speaker to
record the musical numbers.

This film brings to life the music and career of Al Jolson,
beginning with his attempt at making a comeback in the years just before the
outbreak of World War Two. So much had changed in the years since Jolson had
been top of the heap. Bing Crosby had come along, changing the way people
interpreted songs. The difference was in the phrasing. Crooning was out. This
was the environment in which he was attempting to make his return to the stage
and radio audiences he had left more than a decade earlier.

In the film previous to this one, “The Jolson Story”, Larry
Parks portrays Al Jolson and chronicles his rise to fame and his decision to
retire. In this follow up film he reprises his role as the greatest entertainer
of all time, picking up the story in the late 1930’s. As Hitler is marching
across Europe, Jolson is enjoying life as a former star, traveling all over and
visiting all of the race tracks. He was living the life of a playboy. But, with
a little push from history, his father, and his manager, that was all about to
change.

As the war in Europe became a war against the Jews, Jolson’s
father; a Cantor; was upset that his son didn’t seem to care about what was
happening in the world around him. He was living a life of wine, women and
song; fiddling like Nero while the world around him burned. The elder Jolson
(Yoelson), along with his son’s manager Steve Martin; played by the irascible
William Demarest; conspire to push him back towards doing something
constructive with his life.

Jolson joins the efforts to entertain the troops at training
camps across the country, where he is surprisingly well received. His travels
abroad lead to his coming down with malaria; forcing him to go home after
collapsing on stage. When he comes to and sees the most beautiful woman he has
ever laid eyes upon, he begins to sing “Baby Face” to her before passing out
again.

In real life he met Erle Galbraith; an X-ray technologist at
a military hospital Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Though instantly smitten with her it takes him over a year to track her
down again. When he does locate her he offers her a job and the two are later
married, adopting two children before his death in 1950. He had one previous
child by adoption with his third wife, Ruby Keeler in the 1930’s.

Even if you are not a fan of Al Jolson, or the music of the
era, this film has a lot to offer. Larry Parks is excellent as Jolson, and
Jolson does make a brief cameo in the film; just as he did in the first Larry
Parks vehicle “The Jolson Story.”

Two things worth noting about Jolson are; the Elvis classic “Are
You Lonesome Tonight” was recorded by many people. The song was written in 1926
and recorded the following year. Jolson picked it up in 1950, a decade before
Elvis. And also, although Bing Crosby gets the credit most of the time for the change
in phrasing vocals rather than crooning, it was really Jolson, with his
minstrel style, who influenced Crosby.

As a matter of fact, as you watch this film and study Larry
Parks’ movements, you will see a lot of Dean Martin in those performances. The
singing is all done by Jolson; Larry Parks is just lip-synching, although his
movements are exactly the same as Jolson’s. Watch him strut, leaning backwards
and using his arms to animate each song.

The cast is composed of the following;

Larry Parks plays Al Jolson as well as himself. Barbara Hale
plays the fictional Ellen Clark, who is really Erle Galbraith; and William
Demarest plays manager Steve Martin; while Ludwig Donath plays Jolson’s father, Cantor Yoelson with a
gleam in his eye and love for his son in his heart.

Here’s a clip of Jolson performing from the 1927 classic “The
Jazz Singer”;